Progressive vision disorders such as age-related macular degeneration (AMD), age-related maculopathy (ARM) and retinitis pigmentosis (RP) result in a gradual loss of vision which is often accompanied by increased or debilitating sensitivity to light and glare. These conditions make everyday tasks such as reading difficult and uncomfortable, especially over long periods of time.
During the early stages of these vision disorders, eyeglasses of increased strength may provide sufficient visual assistance; however, other vision aids may be necessary in intermediate and late stages of the disorder. Additional vision aids may include a combination of increased magnification and improved lighting to increase contrast. Intense lighting may be provided in combination with glasses to attain the contrast necessary for reading. Lighting solutions that may be used for this purpose include lamps with high illuminance values (˜2,000-3,000 lux). Other vision aids that may be used to assist an individual with low-vision may include free-standing lighting, magnifiers, and typoscopes. In some cases, white light-emitting diodes (LED) mounted on eyeglasses, headbands, or lanyards, may be useful. Some individuals may also use display devices where the illuminance of the display may be adjusted, such as closed circuit television systems and electronic book (“e-book”) readers.